Am I missing something?

[kjmema]

Am I missing something here?  I thought this tecnology was a lot older.  Does this mean that the other centers that use Cyberknife are all more recent than the Stanford group?  If this is so there aren't any really long term studys is one assumes that only a few of the first treated had AN's.  Still gathering information...and weighing options....

The 1,000th CyberKnife patient at Stanford was treated in October 2003.
The 2,000th CyberKnife patient was treated in November 2005.
The 2,500th CyberKnife patient is expected to undergo CyberKnife treatment in the Summer of 2006.
Stanford is widely regarded as the most experienced CyberKnife treatment center in the world.
The original CyberKnife was developed at Stanford, where the first patient was treated in 1994.

[goinbatty]

I'm not sure about the stats but make sure to check out this forum.  You can ask the physicians questions and they are very quick to respond. 

http://www.cyberknifesupport.org/forum/

[sgerrard]

Most people consider the long term studies of gammaknife to apply equally well to cyberknife, although you can quibble about that if you like. This is a quote from a 2005 article out of Stanford: "Since 1999, the CyberKnife has been used to treat more than 270 patients with acoustic neuroma at Stanford University. Sixty-one of these patients have now been followed up for a minimum of 36 months and form the basis for the present clinical investigation." As there are now around 70 CK facilities in the US, the number of ANs treated must be quite a bit higher by now.

Steve

[Mark]

Kjmema,

Everything you posted is accurate and Steve's response is right on target. CK ( as do all the radiosurgery machines) kills the tumor biologically in the same manner as GK has been proven to do for nearly 40 years. CK is a more advanced targeting platform that GK and does not require a frame, but it's efficacy in treating AN's is really an extension of all long term studies with GK.

Mark

[kjmema]

Thanks for the info.  That does make sense.  Sort of like the first Phone which has evolved into the cordless and now the cell.  Same principal just more streamlined.  Although I do sometimes miss the old black rotery phone.  Decisions, decisions.....

[sgerrard]

Dr. Chang said on Monday that they are now past 700 ANs, with 4 failures so far, or a control rate of >99%. Also Dr. Gibbs said she gave a talk at House Ear Clinic, and they may be getting a CK machine! 

I am being given lots of grief for not having a cell phone, making up to the minute schedule changes more difficult. So if you pick the latest in radiation, be sure to have the latest in phones as well. 

Even using old fashioned land lines, I have managed to complete one session about 30 minutes ago, with two more to go.

Steve

[pearchica]

Stanford stats are interesting- when I had my CK treatment in February 07, it was 600 patients- with one failure.., thanks for the update! Annie